Audio issues when using my MacBook Pro and EOS Utility

[mickifan77]

I sure hope some one can help me with this.  I have a Canon Rebel SL1 which I use to record my YouTube videos. I tether it to my MacBook Pro so I can use the Live view to make sure I’m in focus, etc. I also use an external microphone which is on a boom over my head. 

My audio sounds fine IF I don’t have my power cord plugged into my Mac but the minute I do that I get a horrible buzzing.crackle noise which I can not edit out (I use Final Cut Pro X). The audio also sounds the same if I open the clip inQuicktime so it’s not a FCPX issue.

Here’s what I’ve tried so far:

• 2 days on the phone with Apple and I was escalated all the way up to the top of tech support. They say it’s not them.
• I’ve tried 3 different mics
• 2 different aux cables
• 2 different power cords (both were purchased directly from Apple)
• A few different electrical outlets
• Different brands of the class 10 memory brands (Sony, Scandisk, etc)
• I’ve uninstalled and reinstalled EOS Utility
• Made sure my Mac and EOS Utility were up to date 

I’m so frustrated at this point and at a loss as to what I can do to fix this. I made a YouTube view where you can hear the audio to see what I’m talking about and you can see it at https://youtu.be/SVvtJIQ6Mdw. The first part of the video is fine and shows the sound without the power cord plugged in, the 2nd part is with the power cord plugged in and the last is that same clip edited as best as I couldn in FCPX. 

I would really appreciate any help to get this fixed because I waste so much time when I forget to unplug my MacBook when I’m recording and my viewers hate having to listen to my videos that way. Thanks!

[kvbarkley]

It is probably either a ground loop or radiated emissions from the Apple power adapter.

Does it happen with the internal microphone?

You might try to get a ferrite bead:

[link removed per forum guidelines]

[mickifan77]

 I made a 2nd audio test whch you can see and hear at https://youtu.be/KoeIGgT0-G0 

This time I also tethered it to my Asus Laptop (Windows) and then I just used the internal microphone. It works fine without it plugged into the Asus but once I plugged it in to power the same thing happens.

If I'm just recording using the intermal microphone and don't have it tethered to my camera then it sounds fine wether it's plugged into power or not. The same goes with my USB microphone so it has something to do with either the EOS software or the connection with the camera.

Sorry, I don't know what you mean by a ground loop or radiated emmissions.

[kvbarkley]

Is the camera sitting on anything metal? This kind of thing usually happens when there is an alternate path to ground.

In any case try getting one of the ferrite filters and wrap the power cord, the cord from charger to computer and the microphone cable in one.

The only other common thing here is the microphone. What does that mfg say?

[mickifan77]

I've tried 3 different microphones as well as a Lavalier and that didn't make a difference. I did order that and I should get it Saturday so I'll be curious to see if that help and I ordered a 10 pack instead so I could put them on all my cables.

As for the camera, I have it on a tripod but it's mounted on a plastic ball head and then that is attached to the plastic on the tripod. 

Thanks for your suggestion and help and I'll let you know if it worked or not. 

[mickifan77]

Well, I got those in the mail today and since I ordered a box of 10, I decided to start with just one and then keep adding them to different things that are plugged into the camerea.I even put one on the usb cable as well as the audio one that goes from my camera to the microphone. 

Nope, it didn't change a thing. I tried a different USB cable as well as my 2nd power cord and I tried 2 other outlets in my house. It does the same thing on my ASUS Laptop so its not the Mac.

Its got to be the camera thats doing this since I've tried everything else outside of the camera. Any other ideas?

[kvbarkley]

A UPS.

[John_]

Its got to be the camera that's doing this since I've tried everything else outside of the camera. Any other ideas?

I agree it has something to do with your camera or its sound settings. Have you tried to adjust the levels or turned on or off the wind filter or turned on or oof the Attenuator? Page 210 and 211 of your manual.

[mickifan77]

Here's what I just got done testing:

TEST #1:

Camera - AUTO

Sound - auto

Wind filter - enabled

Attenuator - enabled

Rode mic - plugged in with white cable

Power cord  - plugged in

RESULTS - Audio has the buzzing noise while the power cord is plugged in

TEST #2:

Camera - MANUAL

Sound - auto

Wind filter - enabled

Attenuator - enabled

Rode mic - plugged in with white cable

Power cord  - plugged in

RESULTS - Audio has the buzzing noise while the power cord is plugged in

TEST #4:

Camera - auto

Sound - MANUAL

Wind filter - enabled

Attenuator - enabled

Rode mic - plugged in with white cable

Power cord  - plugged in

RESULTS - Audio has the buzzing noise while the power cord is plugged in

TEST #4:

Camera - auto

Sound - auto

Wind filter - DISABLED

Attenuator - enabled

Rode mic - plugged in with white cable

Power cord  - plugged in

RESULTS - Audio has the buzzing noise while the power cord is plugged in

TEST #5:

Camera - auto

Sound - auto

Wind filter - enabled

Attenuator - DISABLED

Rode mic - plugged in with white cable

Power cord  - plugged in

RESULTS - Audio has the buzzing noise while the power cord is plugged in

TEST #6

Camera - auto

Sound - auto

Wind filter - DISABLED

Attenuator - DISABLED

Rode mic - plugged in with white cable

Power cord  - plugged in

RESULTS - Audio has the buzzing noise while the power cord is plugged in

The next time I cycled through everything from above except I changed the white cable from the camera to the mic to a gray one I have.  Everything stayed the same when power cord was pllugged in.

These are the microphnes I tried:

• Rode VideoMicro Compact On-Camera Microphone with Rycote Lyre Shock Mount (this the current one I use)
• K&F Shotgun Microphone, Concept CM-500 Professional Interview Mic Recording for Nikon Canon DSLR Camera Gopro Hero 4 (Need 3.5mm Interface)
• Pergear Video Camera Camcorder Shotgun Microphone Uni-Directional System Condenser Mic for Canon Nikon Cameras

Then I tried both of my laviliers and the same thing going through all the different options. The weird thing with both of them is that when I plugged them directly into the camera, neither one of them would pick up any audio but once I plugged an extender into them, then they would work. They sounded like crap with the power cord plugged in of course but that's yet another weird thing I thought I'd mention.

Then I unplugged the cord from the camera to the mic and used the microphone from the camera and it sounded PERFECT and it didn't matter if it was plugged in to power or not.

Since the camera is about 3' away from me, not having a microphone really isn't an option since my voice sounds far away. I have put the RFI Noise Suppresser clips on all of the ccords and cables (including the power cords) so it there was any RF interference that should have been fixed with those and they have been another waste of money.

I'm sorry that this was pretty long but I wanted to try and keep this back and forth diolog short so you can see everything I've tried.

Now I'm wondering if the jack port is bad. What do any of you think?

[John_]

Try moving the jack while it is plugged in and see if the interference changes/goes away as you move it around.